Mobile Beacon and The Quilt Announce National Partnership to Expand Wireless Connectivity Access Across Research and Education Networks
Agreement gives Mobile Beacon a national pathway to reach 42 Regional Education Networks and their member institutions with affordable mobile broadband, fixed wireless, static IP, and eduroam-compatible connectivity solutions
Lincoln, RI, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mobile Beacon, a nonprofit provider of affordable high-speed wireless internet for schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations, today announced a new partnership agreement with The Quilt, the national coalition of 42 Regional Education Networks (RENs) serving universities, K-12 schools, libraries, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and other community anchor institutions across the United States. The agreement creates a national framework for Mobile Beacon to market and promote its services to The Quilt’s members and the thousands of institutions they serve. Eligible organizations now have a credible, streamlined path to explore and access Mobile Beacon’s mobile broadband, fixed wireless, static IP, and related network-enabling services.
“The Quilt represents some of the most trusted and mission-aligned organizations in the country and offers Mobile Beacon a meaningful national channel to reach its members and the communities they support, in service of Mobile Beacon’s ongoing charter to make our broadband service available to support education,” said Katherine Primeau, Founder and Executive Director of Mobile Beacon. “Whether a member needs a new primary connection, backup connectivity, a wireless option for a remote site, or a flexible solution for a community-based program, Mobile Beacon gives Quilt members more connectivity options to extend access, strengthen resilience, and fulfill their public-service missions.”
Commenting on the new agreement, Jen Leasure, President and CEO of The Quilt, said, “The Quilt exists to advance the connectivity, collaboration, and research missions of our member networks and the institutions they serve. This partnership with Mobile Beacon gives our members access to affordable wireless solutions that complement their existing infrastructure and help them reach the communities, locations, and programs that sit beyond the fiber edge. From primary and backup connectivity to eduroam extensions to fixed wireless for remote sites, Mobile Beacon’s services address real needs across our member ecosystem. By leveraging The Quilt’s collective purchasing power, members can offer their communities a trusted, mission-aligned broadband solution that helps close the digital divide and expand access to education, healthcare, research, and other public service community anchor institutions.”
Complementing REN Infrastructure with Wireless Options
Mobile broadband and fixed wireless connectivity from Mobile Beacon can serve as primary connectivity or a reliable backup during outages, support disaster recovery planning, extend access to temporary locations and field research sites, enable remote programs, and provide flexible connectivity for community-based initiatives beyond the traditional campus environment. For REN members operating at the margins of the fiber footprint, or managing locations where fiber buildout is not practical, Mobile Beacon offers a fast, affordable, and deployable option.
Static IP capability is also available across Mobile Beacon service plans and represents a particularly important feature for REN members. Static IP addresses support network security, access control, monitoring, and routing requirements and enable trusted application environments where predictable, identifiable endpoints are essential for institutional use cases.
eduroam Anywhere, Anytime, Any Place
One of the most significant opportunities this partnership creates is the ability for RENs and their members to explore extending eduroam beyond the reach of fiber and beyond the traditional campus network. eduroam is a secure, worldwide Wi-Fi roaming service that allows students, researchers, and staff from participating educational and research institutions to access the internet for free at any participating location. Mobile Beacon’s wireless services are compatible with eduroam and integrate with RADIUS authentication workflows, opening the door to secure, standards-based wireless access to locations where RENs want to extend trusted connectivity.
Expanding Access and Strengthening Resilience
Accessibility is a central theme of this partnership. Many Quilt members serve populations and operate in locations that fall outside the fiber footprint or the traditional campus environment, such as rural districts, community health clinics, library branches, field research stations, and nonprofit service programs. This agreement provides organizations with a nationally consistent framework to evaluate Mobile Beacon services and determine where wireless broadband and fixed wireless can extend their reach, strengthen connectivity resilience, and support the digital inclusion goals their institutions are built around.
About Mobile Beacon
Mobile Beacon (mobilebeacon.org), a Rhode Island-based nonprofit organization, provides affordable, high-speed mobile internet service nationwide exclusively for schools, libraries, and nonprofit groups, helping expand digital equity and access nationwide.
About The Quilt
The Quilt (thequilt.net) is the national coalition of 42 Regional Education Networks (RENs) that together provide advanced networking, research, and collaboration infrastructure to universities, K–12 schools, libraries, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and other community anchor institutions across the United States. The Quilt’s member networks are mission-driven organizations committed to advancing research, education, and public-service connectivity.
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The Mobile Beacon logo is a registered trademark of Educational Broadband Service Agency LLC (dba Mobile Beacon). Any other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
Chris Watson Mobile Beacon 401-570-0005 x139 cwatson@mobilebeacon.org
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